I kiss her hand. “Relax. Seriously. Lavender and chamomileon the top tea shelf. Make a whole pot. I’ll be there in three minutes.”
She smiles. “Three minutes.” She slicks her hair back, casts Ryan an unforgiving look, and heads back into the house.
“Let’s go for a sail,” Mila says.
I ignore her. “Guys, this has to stop. Either we all have to get our shit together or we have to go home. Play nice or go home—those are the rules. And no more rule breaking.” I look from Ryan to Chase. Ryan looks sullen, his face blistered and burned from a day of overexposure.
Chase points to Ryan. “Talk to him. I’m perfectly fine the way things are.”
“I’m not,” I say firmly. “Everything’s been sloping south for a while, but it’s taken a sudden dive. And I’m not okay with it. We only have two more years together. But the way things are going, we’re not going to make it through the summer. Chase, you have to stop it with the passive-aggressive comments toward Ryan. I’m not getting in the middle of your drama, but it’s got to stop.”
Chase side-eyes Ryan. “No drama.”
Ryan presses his lips together. “Mm-hmm.”
I cross my arms. “You’re both terrible liars.”
“Mila’s leaving,” Chase says.
“Good riddance.” I can’t help it.
“No, she’s taking the boat.” He points behind me.
I turn around. “Shit. Mila!”
Mila’s unfurled the sails while we’ve been talking, and a steady wind has begun to move her away from the dock. She waves innocently. “Moonlight sail. You can make it if you jump.”
I stare, aghast. None of this is remotely acceptable. In the best-case scenario, my father would flip out if he found out that Chase’s guest, who for all I know doesn’t even know how to sail, took the boat out by herself. Drunk. In the worst, Mila is heading into the darkness to meet the dripping man alone. I back up, take a running leap, and barely make it onto the deck, sliding into the mast and hitting my head for the second time.
“Shit,” Mila says. “Are you okay?”
I sit, my forehead throbbing. At least I hit a differentpartof my head. Still, I’ll be lucky if there’s anything left of my brain by morning.
Chase lands on the deck beside me, and Ryan hits the water a moment later. I can’t help a petty grin spreading across my face. Push my girlfriend into the water. Karma. Chase throws him a line and hauls him up.
“Turn around and take us back,” I tell Chase. “We’re not doing this tonight.”
“Pretty pretty please.” Mila jumps up and down and presses herself against Chase, swaying against him. “I want to see the stars.”
“You can see them from the dock.” I massage my forehead. “We all drank way too much to operate a boat. Back it up.”
“Come on. It’s so romantic out here.” She nuzzles up to him.
“Really?” Ryan says in a flat voice. “Is it romantic?” He sits next to me. “How enchanting for all of us.”
I stand, but sway on my feet and have to sit again. “Look, I can’t sail right now. My head is completely messed up. I need a few minutes for it to clear.” But a swift wind has picked upout of nowhere, and we’re rapidly moving toward the middle of the lake. Marvelous.
“Give us ten,” Chase says. “Fair compromise. Mila gets to see the stars, you get to rest your head, and then we go straight back.”
“Please, Mom?” Mila says.
I’m really starting to dislike that girl.
“Fine.” I sigh.
“Really?” Ryan looks back toward the house. “This is the moment you choose to start backing down on things?”
“What’s the rush, Ry?” I tap my forehead gently. Definitely well on its way to a bruise.